A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Introduction: On the Complex Ecology of Language Learning ‘in the Wild’ (2019)

Eskildsen, Søren W., Pekarek Doehler, Simona, Piirainen-Marsh Arja, Hellermann John. (2019). Introduction: On the Complex Ecology of Language Learning ‘in the Wild’. In J. Hellerman, S. W. Eskildsen, S. Pekarek Doehler, & A. Piirainen-Marsh (Eds.), Conversation Analytic Research on Learning-in-Action : The Complex Ecology of Second Language Interaction ‘in the wild’ (pp. 1-21). Springer. Educational Linguistics, 38. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22165-2_1

JYU authors or editors

Piirainen-Marsh, Arja

Publication details

All authors or editors: Eskildsen, Søren W.; Pekarek Doehler, Simona; Piirainen-Marsh Arja; Hellermann John

Parent publication: Conversation Analytic Research on Learning-in-Action : The Complex Ecology of Second Language Interaction ‘in the wild’

Parent publication editors: Hellerman, John; Eskildsen, Søren W.; Pekarek Doehler, Simona; Piirainen-Marsh, Arja

ISBN: 978-3-030-22164-5

eISBN: 978-3-030-22165-2

Journal or series: Educational Linguistics

ISSN: 1572-0292

eISSN: 2215-1656

Publication year: 2019

Number in series: 38

Pages range: 1-21

Publisher: Springer

Place of Publication: Cham

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22165-2_1

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Abstract

This introduction explicates the central issues informing the chapters in the volume. We outline the epistemological development of Second Language Acquisition research as it has evolved from being predominantly individual-cognitive to a more pluralistic endeavor in which social approaches to cognition and learning are becoming central. Social interaction has been recognized as key to language learning since the 1970’s but the field is still lacking in research that studies the everyday social-interactional ecology in which the L2 speaker acts. We argue that it is time to broaden contexts for empirical investigations to study language learning in the full ecology of ‘the wild’, that is, in out-of-classroom, real world settings that put into play the multisemiotic resources inhabiting the worlds of L2 speakers.

The contributions to the volume scrutinize the affordances of ‘the wild’ for the development of L2 interactional competence, investigate how L2 speakers configure learning opportunities in the wild, and analyze possible ways of integrating in-the-wild-experiences into the L2 classroom agenda. Leading to new empirical understandings of the richness of the affordances for L2 learning that emerge in people’s lifeworlds, this affects our conception of L2 learning, as product and process, and holds important implications for teaching practices.

Keywords: language learning; language teaching; second language; nature; use of language; conversation; linguistic interaction; educational methods